ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Fairness at work can affect employees' health
• Long-term survival achieved in metastatic melanoma with personalized vaccine
• Silk stabilizes blood samples for months at high temperatures
• World's oldest axe fragment found in Australia
• Interventional policies and practices needed to prevent bullying and its harm
• New survey shows that retirement includes work for many older Americans
• Good nutrition positively affects social development, research shows
• Acidification, low oxygen put fish in double jeopardy
• Gene mutations shown to cause form of HSP
• Body image strongly linked to overall life satisfaction
• Public reporting measures fail to describe the true safety of hospitals
• More than 1,200 new planets confirmed using new technique for verifying Kepler data
• Wildfires to increase in Alaska with future climate change
• Low birthweight linked to higher death rates in infants and adolescents
• Genetic variations that boost PKC enzyme contribute to Alzheimer's disease
• Deep-water seaweed evolved into a multi-cellular plant more than 540 million years ago
• New method to stop the spread of Lyme disease
• What studying hand-washing is teaching about compliance
• Gene mutation leads to poorly understood birth defects
• Brain pattern predicts how fast an adult learns a new language
• Northern Galapagos Islands home to world's largest shark biomass
• Illinois River water quality improvement linked to more efficient corn production
• Math, not skin, may be a better way to help researchers test consumer products, study shows
• Stem cells from diabetic patients coaxed to become insulin-secreting cells
• Political lobbying, connections may help airlines profits take off
• New study shows rapid marsh bank sediment build up does not equate land loss resilience
• Three lessons gut microbes have taught us about antibiotics
• Performing cellular surgery with a laser-powered nanoblade
• Why cancer drugs can't take the pressure
• How to remove a splinter
• Exploring the Mystery of How Enzymes Work via Simulations
• New technology is life-saving voice for premature or critically ill infants
• Process analysis in real time
• Emotion detector could reveal if a date really finds you attractive: Is this the kind of world we actually want?
• Genetic testing: Bene Israel community in India has Jewish roots
• Stave off cognitive decline with seafood
• Youth sports hazing victims often in denial, research shows
• Global scientific community must secure health of planet, report urges
• Early life stress accelerates maturation of key brain region in male mice
• Out of mind, out of sight: Brain's frontal cortex controls vision
• Radioactive isotopes reveal age of oil, gas wastewater spills
• Hijacked cell division helped fuel rise of fungi
• Nuclear physics' interdisciplinary progress
• Industry collaboration, consumer pressure key to stopping 'conflict minerals' trade
• Enhancing lab-on-a-chip peristalsis with electro-osmosis
• Telemedicine use increases among rural Medicare beneficiaries
• Breast cancer detection rates of mammogram readers don't decline over time
• Personalized virtual heart predicts the risk of sudden cardiac death
• Drug does not reduce digital ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis
• Increase seen in the BMI associated with lowest risk of death
• Daffodils help inspire design of stable structures
• Building compact particle accelerators: Bunching electrons can get more done
• Working memory is better after a barefoot run
• With food, similar substitutes are less satisfying
• Study points to challenges, hopes of helping vulnerable patients avoid stroke
• Reading an opponent's face gives the edge in martial arts
• How US police departments can clear more homicides
• Scientists digitally mimic evolution to create novel proteins
• LED treatments enhance lettuce phytochemicals, antioxidants
• Fatal road crashes involving marijuana double after state legalizes drug

Fairness at work can affect employees' health Posted: 10 May 2016 06:33 PM PDT Employees' experiences of fairness at work can impact on their health, according to a new study. The researchers investigated whether perceptions of what they call 'procedural justice', such as the processes in place to decide on rewards, pay, promotion and assignments, are related to employees' health.

Long-term survival achieved in metastatic melanoma with personalized vaccine Posted: 10 May 2016 01:51 PM PDT Two patients with melanoma that had spread to the liver survived for at least 8.5 and 12 years after resection of the hepatic tumor and treatment with patient-specific immunotherapeutic vaccines. The vaccines, designed to activate the immune system against the tumor, were derived from the patients' own dendritic cells loaded with proteins isolated from their tumors.

Silk stabilizes blood samples for months at high temperatures Posted: 10 May 2016 01:51 PM PDT Researchers have stabilized blood samples for long periods of time without refrigeration and at high temperatures by encapsulating them in air-dried silk protein. The technique has broad applications for clinical care and research that rely on accurate analysis of blood and other biofluids.

World's oldest axe fragment found in Australia Posted: 10 May 2016 01:51 PM PDT Australian archaeologists have discovered a piece of the world's oldest axe in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Interventional policies and practices needed to prevent bullying and its harm Posted: 10 May 2016 01:03 PM PDT Bullying is a serious public health problem, with significant short- and long-term psychological consequences for both the targets and perpetrators of such behavior, and requires a commitment to developing preventive and interventional policies and practices that could make a tangible difference in the lives of many children, says a new report.

New survey shows that retirement includes work for many older Americans Posted: 10 May 2016 01:03 PM PDT Departing the workforce entirely and entering retirement at age 65 is no longer a reality for many older people in the United States, according to a recent survey. The study finds that there are large numbers of older Americans who are currently, or who expect to be, working longer. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that they are continuing with the same employment circumstances indefinitely.

Good nutrition positively affects social development, research shows Posted: 10 May 2016 01:03 PM PDT In preschoolers, proper nutrition positively affects social development, researchers have discovered. For this study, the scientists analyzed a sample of 1,795 3-year-old children from Mauritius, an island off the eastern coast of Africa with a population of about 1.3 million people. They focused on four aspects of physical health related to nutrition and four indicators of social development.

Acidification, low oxygen put fish in double jeopardy Posted: 10 May 2016 01:03 PM PDT Severe oxygen drops in the water can leave trails of fish kills in their wakes, but scientists thought adult fish would be more resilient to the second major threat in coastal waters: acidification. A new study shows that is not entirely true -- where fish are concerned, acidification can make low oxygen even more deadly.

Gene mutations shown to cause form of HSP Posted: 10 May 2016 01:03 PM PDT Novel gene mutations that cause hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) have been identified by researchers, a step forward in efforts to treat this debilitating disease.

Body image strongly linked to overall life satisfaction Posted: 10 May 2016 11:37 AM PDT U.S. researchers have just completed a national study on the factors linked to satisfaction with appearance and weight. In a survey of more than 12,000 Americans adults, the questions focused on personality, beliefs about romantic relationships, self-esteem, television viewing, and personal characteristics.

Public reporting measures fail to describe the true safety of hospitals Posted: 10 May 2016 11:37 AM PDT Common measures used by government agencies and public rankings to rate the safety of hospitals do not accurately capture the quality of care provided, new research suggests.

More than 1,200 new planets confirmed using new technique for verifying Kepler data Posted: 10 May 2016 11:37 AM PDT Scientists have confirmed that 1,284 objects observed outside Earth's solar system by NASA's Kepler spacecraft are indeed planets. The researchers used an automated technique that allows scientists to efficiently determine if a Kepler signal is caused by a planet. It is the largest single announcement of new planets to date and more than doubles the number of confirmed planets discovered by Kepler so far.

Wildfires to increase in Alaska with future climate change Posted: 10 May 2016 11:37 AM PDT Climate change is melting glaciers, reducing sea-ice cover and increasing wildlife activity -- with some of the most dramatic impacts occurring in the northern high latitudes. New research projects an increased probability of fires occurring in Alaskan boreal forest and tundra under a warmer, drier climate.

Low birthweight linked to higher death rates in infants and adolescents Posted: 10 May 2016 11:36 AM PDT Babies born with a low birthweight are at an increased risk of death in infancy right through to adolescence compared to babies born at a normal birthweight, according to new research.

Genetic variations that boost PKC enzyme contribute to Alzheimer's disease Posted: 10 May 2016 11:36 AM PDT In Alzheimer's disease, plaques of amyloid beta protein accumulate in the brain, damaging connections between neurons. Now, researchers have found that the enzyme Protein Kinase C (PKC) alpha is necessary for amyloid beta to damage neuronal connections. They also identified genetic variations that enhance PKC alpha activity in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Deep-water seaweed evolved into a multi-cellular plant more than 540 million years ago Posted: 10 May 2016 10:48 AM PDT The discovery of a deep-water seaweed that evolved into a multi-cellular plant more than 540 million years ago has added a new branch to the tree of life, according to biologists.

New method to stop the spread of Lyme disease Posted: 10 May 2016 10:43 AM PDT Medication that is normally used to lower cholesterol could stop the spread of Lyme disease, according to a new study. Statins can reduce the burden in mice and can therefore be exploited to reduce the number of Lyme disease bacteria acquired by the feeding ticks. These investigators believe that this could be one of the many strategies to lower the incidence of Lyme disease by restricting bacterial survival at its source.

What studying hand-washing is teaching about compliance Posted: 10 May 2016 10:43 AM PDT In many workplaces, standard processes are the key to a successful operation, ensuring efficiency and safety. New research shows that motivating compliance with standard processes via electronic monitoring can be a highly effective approach, despite concerns about employee backlash. However, the research also highlights that managers cannot simply 'monitor and forget.'

Gene mutation leads to poorly understood birth defects Posted: 10 May 2016 10:43 AM PDT Scientists have identified genetic mutations that appear to be a key culprit behind a suite of birth defects called ciliopathies, which affect an estimated 1 in 1,000 births.

Brain pattern predicts how fast an adult learns a new language Posted: 10 May 2016 10:43 AM PDT A five-minute measurement of resting-state brain activity predicted how quickly adults learned a second language, report scientists.

Northern Galapagos Islands home to world's largest shark biomass Posted: 10 May 2016 10:43 AM PDT Scientists have revealed that the northern Galapagos Islands of Darwin and Wolf are home to the largest shark biomass reported to date (12.4 tons per hectare).

Illinois River water quality improvement linked to more efficient corn production Posted: 10 May 2016 10:42 AM PDT Nitrate concentrations and loads in the Illinois River from 1983 to 2014 were correlated with agricultural nitrogen use efficiency and nitrate discharged from Chicago's treated wastewater, say researchers. The amount of nitrate that flowed down the river each year from 2010 to 2014 was 10 percent less than the average amount during a baseline period of 1980 to 1996. This reduction is a positive step toward the ultimate goal to reduce nitrate concentrations by 45 percent.

Math, not skin, may be a better way to help researchers test consumer products, study shows Posted: 10 May 2016 10:28 AM PDT Researchers are presenting collaborative research on the use of mathematical methods for understanding the transportation of chemical compounds in biological tissues, like the skin. This could lead to better ways of testing cosmetic or consumer products without harming humans or animals.

Stem cells from diabetic patients coaxed to become insulin-secreting cells Posted: 10 May 2016 10:28 AM PDT Signaling a potential new approach to treating diabetes, researchers have produced insulin-secreting cells from stem cells derived from patients with type 1 diabetes. The new discovery suggests a personalized treatment approach to diabetes may be on the horizon -- one that relies on the patients' own stem cells to manufacture new cells that make insulin.

Political lobbying, connections may help airlines profits take off Posted: 10 May 2016 10:28 AM PDT Government lobbying and political connections may add lift to the air transportation industry's profitability, but they could also cause a crash in talented transportation administrators, according to a researcher.

New study shows rapid marsh bank sediment build up does not equate land loss resilience Posted: 10 May 2016 10:28 AM PDT A new study proposes a new framework to look at sediment fluxes in marsh channels that takes into account the natural process of sediment recycling.

Three lessons gut microbes have taught us about antibiotics Posted: 10 May 2016 10:27 AM PDT Antibiotics have proven to be a double-edged sword: capable of killing a range of bacteria that cause infections, but also depleting our gut microbes, impairing our immune system, and increasing vulnerability to infection by superbugs. The lessons learned from how antibiotics impact the body are identifying new approaches to prevent and/or correct the adverse side effects on our 'good' gut bacteria.

Performing cellular surgery with a laser-powered nanoblade Posted: 10 May 2016 10:27 AM PDT To study certain aspects of cells, researchers need the ability to take the innards out, manipulate them, and put them back. Options for this kind of work are limited, but researchers describe a 'nanoblade' that can slice through a cell's membrane to insert mitochondria. The researchers have previously used this technology to transfer other materials between cells and hope to commercialize the nanoblade for wider use in bioengineering.

Why cancer drugs can't take the pressure Posted: 10 May 2016 10:27 AM PDT A major reason why cancer drugs fail is that they cannot penetrate the high-pressure environment of solid tumors. A new study reveals that hyaluronic acid is primarily responsible for generating elevated gel-fluid pressures in tumors. In a mouse model of pancreatic cancer, treatment with an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid normalized fluid pressure in tumors and allowed vessels to re-expand, thereby overcoming a major barrier to drug delivery.

How to remove a splinter Posted: 10 May 2016 09:53 AM PDT Everyone has been there. No sooner did you or your child touch that old wooden bench when a small sliver of wood slides into the skin – causing a surprising amount of pain. Fortunately, say dermatologists, splinters are easy to remove with the proper tools and technique.

Exploring the Mystery of How Enzymes Work via Simulations Posted: 10 May 2016 09:51 AM PDT There is broad scientific interest in understanding the origin of the catalytic power of enzymes on a molecular level. While hypotheses have been put forward using experimental and computational approaches, they must be examined critically. Researchers now present a critical review of the dynamical concept -- time-dependent coupling between protein conformational motions and chemical reactions -- that explores all reasonable definitions of what does and does not qualify as a dynamical effect.

New technology is life-saving voice for premature or critically ill infants Posted: 10 May 2016 09:51 AM PDT A new technology in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in a California hospital is able to predict the risk of life-threatening infections up to 24 hours before they appear in severely premature or critically ill infants. Infection is the leading cause of death in this fragile patient population.

Process analysis in real time Posted: 10 May 2016 09:49 AM PDT The automated detection of products or by-products directly during the process has become an indispensable part of monitoring production processes. Mass spectrometry is a quick and selective method of analyzing compounds in technical, chemical and biotechnical applications – simultaneously, with a high degree of sensitivity, and over an extremely large measurement range. Besides the identification of compounds, this method also makes it possible to evaluate the ion currents quantitatively. By means of integrated data evaluation, concentrations of the monitored substances can be determined and changes of concentration – for example in chemical or biochemical reactions – can be measured and recorded.

Emotion detector could reveal if a date really finds you attractive: Is this the kind of world we actually want? Posted: 10 May 2016 09:49 AM PDT Scientists are considering an emotion detector which, potentially, can tell whether a person really finds you attractive on a first date.

Genetic testing: Bene Israel community in India has Jewish roots Posted: 10 May 2016 09:48 AM PDT Genetic evidence has been provided by scientists of the Jewish roots of the Bene Israel community in the western part of India. According to their oral history, the Bene Israel people descended from 14 Jewish survivors of a shipwreck on India's Konkan shore. The exact timing of this event and the origin and identity of the Jewish visitors are unknown. Some date the event to around 2,000 years ago. Others estimate that it took place in 175 BCE. Still others believe their Jewish ancestors arrived as early as the 8th century BCE.

Stave off cognitive decline with seafood Posted: 10 May 2016 09:48 AM PDT Eating a meal of seafood or other foods containing omega-3 fatty acids at least once a week may protect against age-related memory loss and thinking problems in older people, according to a team of researchers.

Youth sports hazing victims often in denial, research shows Posted: 10 May 2016 09:48 AM PDT The true incidence of hazing in youth sports is unknown because victims don't report the mistreatment or fail to recognize it as hazing, according to a review of scientific literature on the subject.

Global scientific community must secure health of planet, report urges Posted: 10 May 2016 09:48 AM PDT The first annual State of the World's Plants report, which involved more than 80 scientists and took a year to produce, is a baseline assessment of current knowledge on the diversity of plants on earth, the global threats these plants currently face, as well as the policies in place and their effectiveness in dealing with threats.

Early life stress accelerates maturation of key brain region in male mice Posted: 10 May 2016 09:48 AM PDT Scientists studying how stress in early childhood affects the brain have new evidence from a study in male mice that a key region, the hippocampus, appears to mature faster.

Out of mind, out of sight: Brain's frontal cortex controls vision Posted: 10 May 2016 09:48 AM PDT Ever search desperately for something, then realize you were looking straight at it the whole time? Research indicates that vision is controlled by the part of the brain associated with thinking. And in sight, too, it can be absent minded.

Radioactive isotopes reveal age of oil, gas wastewater spills Posted: 10 May 2016 09:46 AM PDT Radium isotopes in soils can be used to determine the age of oil and gas wastewater spills, research shows. Three new isotopic age-dating methods developed by the team could be useful for identifying the source of a spill where it's not certain if contamination stems from recent unconventional oil and gas drilling or from older, conventional oil and gas operations in the same watershed.

Hijacked cell division helped fuel rise of fungi Posted: 10 May 2016 09:46 AM PDT The more than 90,000 known species of fungi may owe their abilities to spread and even cause disease to an ancient virus that hijacked their cell division machinery, researchers report. Over a billion years ago, a viral protein invaded the fungal genome, generating a family of proteins that now play key roles in fungal growth. The research could point to new antifungals that inhibit cell division in fungi but not in their plant or animal hosts.

Nuclear physics' interdisciplinary progress Posted: 10 May 2016 09:46 AM PDT The theoretical view of the structure of the atom nucleus is not carved in stone. Particularly, nuclear physics research could benefit from approaches found in other fields of physics.

Industry collaboration, consumer pressure key to stopping 'conflict minerals' trade Posted: 10 May 2016 09:46 AM PDT Responsible sourcing of raw minerals from conflict regions could be achieved if firms were to collaborate and if there was more pressure from consumers, a new report argues.

Enhancing lab-on-a-chip peristalsis with electro-osmosis Posted: 10 May 2016 09:46 AM PDT Researchers have conducted lubrication theory-based analyses to explore the hydrodynamic effects of improving flow rate in pre-existing peristaltic hardware relying on an external electric field. Their research assesses the combined effects of electric fields and peristalsis on the channel flow rate.

Telemedicine use increases among rural Medicare beneficiaries Posted: 10 May 2016 09:45 AM PDT Telemedicine use in Medicare has been increasing rapidly, and in 2013 there were over 100,000 telemedicine visits for Medicare beneficiaries. Disabled beneficiaries with mental illness were the most likely to receive a telemedicine visit.

Breast cancer detection rates of mammogram readers don't decline over time Posted: 10 May 2016 09:45 AM PDT There is no decline over time in the accuracy of medical staff who analyze mammogram scans for indications of breast cancer, new research shows. The study investigated whether detection rates dropped towards the end of each batch of mammogram readings.

Personalized virtual heart predicts the risk of sudden cardiac death Posted: 10 May 2016 09:45 AM PDT A research team has developed a non-invasive 3-D virtual heart to help doctors determine who faces the highest risk of a life-threatening arrhythmia and would benefit from a defibrillator implant.

Drug does not reduce digital ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis Posted: 10 May 2016 09:45 AM PDT Investigators evaluated the efficacy of the drug macitentan in reducing the number of new digital ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis. Systemic sclerosis is a chronic multisystem autoimmune disease and multiorgan disease affecting the connective tissue of the skin and several internal organs. Digital ulcers occur in 35 percent to 68 percent of patients with systemic sclerosis and are associated with pain, disfigurement, poor quality of life, and disability.

Increase seen in the BMI associated with lowest risk of death Posted: 10 May 2016 09:44 AM PDT Investigators examined whether the body mass index (BMI) value that is associated with the lowest all-cause mortality has increased in the general population over a period of 3 decades.

Daffodils help inspire design of stable structures Posted: 10 May 2016 09:44 AM PDT Researchers have found that a structure with a twisted, helical shape and an elliptical cross section -- inspired by the stem of a daffodil -- can reduce drag and eliminate side-force fluctuations.

Building compact particle accelerators: Bunching electrons can get more done Posted: 10 May 2016 09:44 AM PDT In the world of particle accelerators, laser wakefield devices are small, but mighty upstarts. The machines can accelerate electrons to near the speed of light using a fraction of the distance required by conventional particle accelerators. However, the electrons are not all uniformly accelerated and beams with a mix of faster and slower particles are less practical. Now researchers have proposed a new way to minimize the energy spread of electrons in laser wakefield accelerators.

Working memory is better after a barefoot run Posted: 10 May 2016 07:35 AM PDT Running barefoot is better than running with shoes for your working memory, according to a new study. The study is the first to show that running barefoot leads to better cognitive performance than running with shoes.

With food, similar substitutes are less satisfying Posted: 10 May 2016 07:34 AM PDT Sometimes the one thing we want isn't available and we have to settle for second best -- instead of picking the closest substitute, new research suggests we'd be better off picking a not-so-similar alternative. Findings from a series of studies indicate that even though people tend to prefer the option that's most similar to the item they can't have, they're likely to be more satisfied with the option that diverges a bit.

Study points to challenges, hopes of helping vulnerable patients avoid stroke Posted: 10 May 2016 07:34 AM PDT A new study demonstrates the importance and challenge of treating people at high risk of stroke. However, it did not find that the drug ticagrelor was better than aspirin, the current standard, in reducing the risk of stroke, heart attack, or death in patients presenting with transient ischemic attack or minor stroke

Reading an opponent's face gives the edge in martial arts Posted: 10 May 2016 07:34 AM PDT There's more to excelling in the combat sport of taekwondo than just being able to produce well-aimed kicks or punches. A participant's skill at reading the emotions on an opponent's face and to therefore anticipate the next move can mean the difference between winning and losing a sparring match.

How US police departments can clear more homicides Posted: 10 May 2016 07:34 AM PDT Only about 65 percent of homicides in the United States are solved -- down 15 percent from the mid-1970s -- but a new study examines how some police departments are getting it right.

Scientists digitally mimic evolution to create novel proteins Posted: 10 May 2016 07:34 AM PDT For decades, scientists have searched for ways to design new proteins that can serve specific purposes in medicine, research, and industry. Now, researchers have developed a method that creates novel proteins by stitching together pieces of already existing proteins. The technique, called SEWING, is inspired by natural evolutionary mechanisms that also recombine portions of known proteins to produce new structures and functions.

LED treatments enhance lettuce phytochemicals, antioxidants Posted: 10 May 2016 07:31 AM PDT Scientists investigated the effects of combined red (R) blue (B) LED with or without green (G) LED light and white LED light on hydroponically grown lettuce. Results showed that continuous light exposure at preharvest can effectively reduce nitrate accumulation and increase phytochemical concentrations; 24 hours continuous RB LED with G light exposure significantly enhanced free-radical scavenging activity, increased phenolic compound concentrations, decreased nitrate content, and enhanced lettuce quality.

Fatal road crashes involving marijuana double after state legalizes drug Posted: 10 May 2016 07:31 AM PDT Fatal crashes involving drivers who recently used marijuana doubled in Washington after the state legalized the drug, according to the latest research. New research also shows that legal limits for marijuana and driving are arbitrary and unsupported by science, which could result in unsafe motorists going free and others being wrongfully convicted for impaired driving.

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